Elizabeth Smith

Started: She joined her first swim team at age seven in Muncie, IN, United States of America. She took up Para sport at age 11. (indystar.com, 04 Apr 2019; fikeswim.com, 01 Nov 2016) Reason: She was inspired to try the sport after watching a television show about US Para swimmer Jessica Long. However, she did not initially enjoy the sport. "Fifteen minutes into my first practice, I quit. The following season my parents bribed me with pizza to give it another shot. I've been swimming ever since." (spectrumlocalnews.com, 15 Jul 2021; indystar.com, 04 Apr 2019; fikeswim.com, 01 Nov 2016) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (swimmingworldmagazine.com, 04 Oct 2023) Additional Info: BODY IMAGE POSITIVITY For years she says felt insecure about her impairment, especially when appearing in photos, but over time she learned to accept it and not be concerned with other people's perceptions of her. "A fear that I've had ever since I can remember is that I make people uncomfortable with my limb difference. Countless times I've hid my body for people. I'm changing the narrative. Your stares and negative reactions make me uncomfortable. I'll work as hard as I can to do my part to make sure no more little kids see their limb difference represented through media as horror." (kvue.com, 09 Dec 2021; spectrumlocalnews.com, 15 Jul 2021; Instagram profile, 01 Dec 2020) PROSTHETIC ARM In 2019 she began using a prosthetic arm. "I got my first prosthetic arm in 2019 and that's been a huge game changer for upper body [training]. For the first time in my life when I got the arm, I was able to do pull-ups and push-ups. It's carbon fibre so you could run over it with a car and it won't break. The cool thing about it is I have interchangeable hands." (Inside with Brett Hawke YouTube channel, 31 Mar 2022; spectrumlocalnews.com, 15 Jul 2021) OTHER ACTIVITIES She works as a youth swimming coach at the Western Hills Athletic Club in Austin, TX, United States of America. She has also worked as a freelance graphic designer, and has created cap designs for a swimming equipment company, as well as logos and web designs for her teammates. After her swimming career, she hopes to focus on her design career and remain involved with swimming through coaching. "I really like working with the little kids. The ones that just started doing swim team, they're like five or six. It brings me back to being that age where I first fell in love with doing this." (kvue.com, 09 Dec 2021; wthr.com, 02 Sep 2021; Instagram profile, 09 Mar 2021; myswimpro.com, 31 Mar 2020; Austin American-Statesman YouTube channel, 17 Sep 2019; indystar.com, 04 Apr 2019) NATIONWIDE TRIP After competing in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, she took a six-month trip through the United States of America, visiting 48 states and covering more than 50,000km. In 2018 she decided to settle in Austin, Texas. "There are a lot of circumstances that just don't go how you planned. I fell in love [with Austin]. What's cool about Austin is you're allowed and encouraged to be yourself, which is probably going to be weird. Sometimes I receive a little backlash where people will be like, 'Why?' The culture in Austin is not to do that. If people see you do something differently, they ask questions. You're encouraged, and when you're encouraged, you thrive." (Inside with Brett Hawke YouTube channel, 31 Mar 2022; statesman.com, 18 Sep 2019; indystar.com, 04 Apr 2019)